Of The Flesh?
by Zion International Industries
Summary: Pain recruits a partner for Zetsu who soon proves to be more of a sideshow freak than any of the other members. Updated.
1. Prelude

Hello, yes it's been a long time. Hopefully this will get some dust off my account and I can get back to entertaining all you wonderful readers.

I think we all know I'm not Kishimoto so no need for a disclaimer

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Pain was spending his evening looking for potential candidates for a partner for Zetsu. True there was already 11 main members of the Akatsuki but Zetsu couldn't get close enough to their enemies. Pain thought that Sasori had finally met his end but the puppet master had proven he was far more formidable than originally thought of him. Apparently he has two different copies in his likeness that he controlled remotely from a distance when going into a battle. Now he was down to one. Well that somewhat put a spanner in the works about Deidara's partnering.

Anyways Pain's office was darkened only being lit by a desk lamp with cast an intense light over the files of all the potential candidates that were scattered about his desk. Pain himself was staring intently into the print of a Chunnin missing nin who specialized in imitation but he was very limited in Pain's opinion.

His ringed Rinnegan eyes shifted to the pile and he closed the file in his hands up before tossing it over his shoulder into a scattered and chaotic pile that had accumulate from his search behind him. He picked up another file and wasted another 10 minutes of his life span before repeating this toss. Again. Close up. Toss. He thought he'd had enough of this. So far nobody had even been placed in a consideration pile. He threw another file over his shoulder. The orange haired man didn't bother picking up another folder instead he leaned forward, placed his elbows onto the desk and rested his face in his palms from the stress.

He rubbed his eyes clearing the salty build up from keeping them open for so long without so much as blinking. He glanced over to the clock he had on the wall to his left reading "10:34 PM". Well that marked a time to stop. Three hours was enough. He stepped up from the desk chair and manuvered around the desk before pushing through the door into a hallway. He glanced around seeing Konan who was sleeping in a rather uncomfortable looking position on the cushioned bench that providing seating for people awaiting to come into his office. He let out a small sigh before bending down placing his arms under her sleeping form before carrying her off to her personal quarters.

For someone who recognized and respected his power to the full extent she worried a lot about him. Well he couldn't blame her. They've known each other since they were kids and they've been thorugh quite a bit of hell before they became members of the higher up Akatsuki. Madara was more than estatic about having the only rinnegan user living to be the organizations head. Zetsu and petty criminals weren't going to get the organization very far. Nagato Pain only continued to further impress Madara with the recruitment of Kakuzu, Hidan, Deidara, Sasori, Itachi Uchiha, and Kisame Hoshigaki who accelerated the Akatsuki into what it is today.

Pain pushed his accomplishments out of his mind since it only reminded him of his work which he clearly was mentally fatigued from. The inside of Konan's room was decorated with various origami and water colored impressions of the views of Amegakure hanging on the walls. He placed his foot under the bed comforter and pulled it back far enough to where he could lay Konan in the bed. After he pulled the cover over her shoulder as she tossed slightly from herself being moved from a hard bench to a comfortable bed.

Pain watched her with contented ringed eyes at her sleeping form. Peaceful just like she looked when she was awake. He turned away and closed the door quietly behind him. He let another sigh before performing a handseal and disappearing in a cloud of smoke. He was in the "chamber" where his real body was. He looked around seeing the other bodies that he controlled laid in a slanted bedlike structure. He walked forward to the center of the room where his real self, the red haired, emaciated, and fatigued Nagato, was hooked into the massive machine that allowed him to control all his bodies. The red haired Nagato could see himself through the Deva path and he quickly went to work with it.

Minutes had passed and the Deva path arrived with several IVs and packaged blood. Nagato had grown accustomed to doing his own bodily maintence himself by now and the pain of having IV needles taken out and replaced into his hardened blood vessels. He didn't even so much as blink when Deva removed the dirtied needle from his arm. Every so often he had to change the IV needle because of a hygeine issue and of the possibility the needle would rust inside the blood vessel and give him Tetanus or Hepatitis.

In less than a few minutes he was set for another few days of nutrient cocktails, blood transfusions and other medical drips that kept his challenged physical form alive and well enough to manipulate his bodies. The orange haired Deva Path turned from Nagato and walked to an empty cell that served as his resting place while Nagato slept.

Tommorow was a new day.

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**Author Notes:  
**  
I wrote this in less than an hour. More is soon to come.


	2. A Glimpse into a Potential Freak

So for once in quite a long time I've paid attention to my story and I believe I haven't disappointed when I said an update would come rather soon.

Here you get a glimpse of the Akatsuki's recruit. The freakiness is only getting warmed up. I might have to change the rating to M if I step it up to my infamous detail.

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Nagato awoke to something poking him in his frail ribs. When his eyes groggily opened he could see Konan standing there with her finger jutting into his ribs.

"You can stop that now." he said plainly but with a slight undertone of annoyance blinking his eyes to regain his sight to an unblurred state. He felt a finger trace the base of his eyelids pulling away the sleep from his eyes. He blinked once more becoming fully awake. Well it was another day being the leader and nanny in some cases to an international criminal organization. Without so much as another glance to Konan he channeled his chakra into the chakra rods and brought his Deva path out of it's nightly retirement.

The Deva path looked to Konan before speaking, "Well we should be getting back to base." he said before performing a handseal and disappearing in a cloud of smoke. The cyan haired kunoichi did the same not wanting to bother the real Nagato any further. When she reappeared in the Akatsuki base Pain was already talking to the Akatsuki's best spy, Zetsu, talking about the possibility of a new recruit to accompany Zetsu. Zetsu surprisingly didn't have any suggestions. This frustrated Pain and it was noticeable since he pinched the piercing on the bridge of his nose.

"I'm sorry Leader-Sama" Zetsu said in the midst of his frustration before turning away. Pain felt like banging his head on the wall for 15 minutes straight rather than looking at one more mediocre candidate. Wait a second... Pain trailed off. He looked to Zetsu who was walking into the living area, "Zetsu."

Zetsu turned around and stood somewhat at attention, "Yes, Leader."

Pain might find an easier way to find a suitable candidate, "I want you to go around the different nations to find cases of espionage or unsolved assassinations. Look for anything peculiar and report back to me what you find."

Zetsu bowed slightly placing his hand over his abdomen, "It would be my pleasure, sir" he said gingerly truly meaning it since he hadn't been on a recon in over 3 months. Zetsu calmly walked from the base into a nearby forest before he used his May Fly technique and fused into the ground before going off into the direction of Sunagakure. His underground voyage ended when he felt the soft soil begin to become similar to the texture of sandy and hardened clay. His head sprouted out from the sandy ground and he was overlooking the vast desert that encompassed and surrounded Sunagakure. He placed his arms to the ground and pulled himself up from the ground shaking off the sand that coated the lower portion of his Akatsuki cloak.

Thus his long search began. Zetsu was good at spying from long to close distances but he lacked a more 'human' appearance to infiltrate like a master of disguise could. However his substitution proved useful in some situations but they were incredibly weak compared to the person he copied. They weren't very suitable for subtle assassination and they were often times found out once he had to release the jutsu after the clone died. They lacked a versatility compared to a master of disguise who can take on the appearance of one person, kill their target, revert to a different person's appearance and escape without leaving a trace of who or why they killed the targeted person. Madara only asked Zetsu to use his substitutions as decoys instead of infiltrating assassins.

Days passed and Zetsu hadn't reported back to Pain yet. Pain knew that Zetsu was just being thorough. The pile of candidates had run dry so Pain had nothing until Zetsu returned. Hopefully Zetsu's observations would be worthwhile...

Zetsu had wandered from nation to nation in his search and the best result he had come up with was the ever so typical rebel forces that still plagued Water Country. However as he spied around the nation in the most efficient way possible using his white clones to comb the area and spy on the remnants of rebel forces. Sadly nobody in these rebel organizations seemed worthy to wear the black cloak with red clouds. Zetsu pressed on. Dispersing his clones he made his way into a country known as the Land of Bears which was largely forested like Konoha and hosted the hidden village known as Hoshigakure.

A slight chakra emission came from Zetsu's Boar ring. He stopped in the heavy dense foliage of the forest he was travelling through. His leader made himself known in a hologram projected from the ring, "Zetsu, what's your mission's status?" the leader asked in his monotone voice.

"I'll be straight with you.",Zetsu's darker half started, "There hasn't been a single-", his white half continued before he was interrupted by some shouting in the background.

"Leader-sama, I have to get back to you later." his darker half said before cutting off Pain and focusing his attention on what exactly was going on. The plant man backed into a tree and fused with it making himself unnoticeable as a group of Hoshigakure nin along with a group of three Konoha jonin clinged tightly to a ceremonial wagon while shouting orders to the lesser nin.

_What's this? _The darker portion ofZetsu thought to himself as he observed the group and then focused on the man pulled carriage that was decorated in a similar fashion to royalty. Zetsu spotted inside the carriage masked by somewhat of semi transparent curtain over the front that there sat the Bear Daimyo and his wife. _I must be getting rusty to have not have noticed that..._ his white half thought. Zetsu didn't move from his spot fused within the tree. The nin wouldn't notice him as long as he continued to stay put.

As the carriage passed by Zetsu's ears honed in on the small talk conversations of the Hoshigakure nin and the Konoha nin who acting as the part of security coordination. Nothing particularly set him off as different. He felt the tree he was fused with shake slightly. He noticed in the trees almost 50 Konoha and Suna chunnins and jonin mixed were watching over the treetops as the carriage moved on. Now this striked Zetsu as odd. What was the meaning of all this security? Something was the matter.

Zetsu continued to follow the group using the May Fly to move in very closely to them. They travelled for miles on end until they reached a clearing that opened up into a small village with a large structure with the Kanji character for "Star" on the building. He was in Hoshigakure. The personal army had stopped and scattered about as the Daimyo and his wife went into the superstructure of the Hoshikage tower.

Zetsu deviated away to a place where he thought nobody would see him.

"I think we've found something.", the dark half chimed.

"Indeed" the white half agreed.

Zetsu raised his ring again and called forth the attention of Pain, "Zetsu, I demand an explaination.", Pain's hologram commanded. Zetsu's eyes widened and a slight smirk crossed his white half's lips, "Leader-Sama, forgive me, but I think I've stumbled upon something in Bear country. If I had to take a guess I'd say a rather serious terrorist organization has issued a rather plausible threat against the Daimyo...", white Zetsu explained, "Or his wife...I was never a fan of the taste of porky cat ladies." the black half contributed slightly chuckling.

Pain in his hologram closed his eyes for a few seconds with his eyebrows narrowed. The hologram Pain opened his eyes once more, "Zetsu stand by. Gauge the situation and try to prove this theory of yours correct. If nothing happens in three days...Return to base." Pain instructed.

"Of course, Leader." white half chimed as the hologram faded.

Zetsu soon returned to using May Fly and watched as the Bear Daimyo stepped from the carriage with his wife hand in hand. The security seemed to tighten around the couple as they made their way into the Hoshikage tower.

Since the building was wooden Zetsu could get inside using May Fly. Zetsu continued spying on them and had noticed how the Daimyo's lady kept looking to her husband strangely.

"Bo, honey, you haven't said a word since this morning. Is everything alright?" she posed the question to the Daimyo. The Daimyo looked to his chunky wife with his small wrinkly eyes and a small smile, "I'm fine, dear. I've just been unnerved from the threats placed against my life. Even with three different nations collaborating for my safety I still feel...In danger." he said with some nervousness.

Zetsu's interest just grew from his statement. The Bear Daimyo looked ahead to the large oak doors that led into the Hoshikage's office. The Hoshigakure jonin took the knobs of the doors and opened them for the governing force of Bear country.

The Daimyo looked to his wife, "Stay with the ninja guard. Hopefully I'll straighten out this ordeal with the Hoshikage." he said ending his statement with a reassuring smile. Zetsu was unsure as to what the whole 'ordeal' really was but his theory to Pain was probably the case. However Zetsu had never heard of a rebellious force that was prominent in this part of the ninja world. They probably flew very low on the radar since Bear country was a very small nation and not recognized as an equal to the major nations.

Zetsu continued to follow using the wooden walls as his cover. Once the doors closed he could see the Daimyo approach the Hosikage who was a white haired man in his forties. Zetsu wasn't surprised of this since rarely any ninja in Hoshigakure lived to be beyond thirty five years of age on average because of the training that took place near the fallen radioactive meteorite Hoshigakure was founded near.

The Hoshikage was dressed in a flowing cerimonial robe just like every other Kage from the greater nations. Though his attire lacked a wide rimmed hat.

"Good morning, governor." the Hoshikage bowed to the Daimyo, "Please have a seat anywhere you like."

The Daimyo looked at the Hoshikage and then proceeded to take a seat in front of his wooden desk.

"I'm very disappointed in your progress with the elimination of this organization that calls themselves the 'Liberation Force of Hoshigakure'." the Daimyo said with his eyes narrowed. The Hoshikage looked to the Daimyo with a look of shame. He lowered his head, "Yes, well...I'm lacking the manpower to seek them out and destroy them." he seemed to flit his eyes away from the Daimyo.

The Daimyo stood up, "Have you even gathered intell on what the organization stands for? Or has that slipped passed your priorities as well?" the Daimyo questioned.

"The group...Wants both of us dead. They have particularly faced their attention on me."

"Now why is that?"

"According to the threats they've issued in our local paper, it's because of my policy on training..."

"What is your policy?"

The Hoshikage sighed and paced around, "I like the other Hoshikage before me still press that my ninja train near the fallen star."

The Daimyo smiled and this made Zetsu's curiosity go beyond it's normal limit. Why was the Daimyo smiling?

The Bear Daimyo walked around the desk to the presence of the Hoshikage, "Could it be a vengeance calling to the numerous ninja that have died from radiation from that star you insist everyone train around? Hmm?"

The Hoshikage looked to the Daimyo with shocked and fearful eyes, "Wait..." he uttered.

The Daimyo's smile grew wider. He reached out his hand from underneath his ceremonial robe and faced his palm toward the Hoshikage's face, "Perhaps the village will rejoice with your sudden retirement."

From that statement Zetsu witnessed a sharp white protrusion, Zetsu assumed was bone, jut out quickly from the Daimyo's palm and pierce through the left eye of the Hoshikage and made a sickening crack as it pierced clear through the back of the Hoshikage's skull.

Zetsu watched as the Hoshikage's body twitched furiously before the 'Daimyo' pulled his hand back pulling the bone spike out of his eye and receeding back into his arm. The smile only grew wider on the face of the 'Daimyo'.

"Meeting ajourned."

The imposter turned around back to the door and opened it slipping out, Zetsu of course following suit. He composed himself before taking the Daimyo's wife. Zetsu continued to follow. The imposter and the security force started to return to the Daimyo estate when someone came out of the Hoshikage tower and yelled out, "The Hoshikage has been killed!"

The imposter still in character looked to the Konoha ninja in charge and shouted, "Get us to safety!"

Zetsu followed as the garrison moved quickly through the forests, apparently nobody suspected the Daimyo imposter.

Nightfall had befallen and the security force now had a new directive of hunting down the assailant. Zetsu had perched a recon point outside the castle that was the Daimyo's estate. Zetsu using May Fly was semi submerged in the soft forest soil. He raised his ring to his view and called in for the Leader.

Pain's hologram showed up and looked to Zetsu, "So what have you found?" he posed the question to the plant man.

"Something most interesting. There's an imposter who's taken a disguise of the Bear Daimyo and has killed the Hoshikage."

The hologram was silent for a time being, "Continue following. I'll be with you shortly to talk to this imposter."

Zetsu decided to watch a little closely. He stepped from the tree he was perched on to the ground. Zetsu removed his Akatsuki cloak and got down on all fours. The black half began to pull to the right as the white half pulled left. Soon their bodies split right down the middle. The two pulled apart and the white half formed a leg and the black soon followed suit. They looked to each other, "Stay here and keep an eye out." the white half instructed. The white half got back down and started another split creating a clone.

Zetsu repeated this process until he had four white clones. The five acted in unison and soon disappeared with the ground. They soon became five sets of eyes and ears within the mansion. One of them caught sight of the imposter who was inside the Daimyo's personal quarters rummaging around in a desk for something. He slapped the drawer closed abruptly and proceeded into one of the mansion's many washrooms going through the medicine chests until he seemed to find what he was looking for. A roll of bandages?

This seemed odd to Zetsu since the imposter didn't seemed to have sustained any injury. The imposter was interupted by a ninja who had passed by the open door of the wash room.

"Is everything alright?" he asked. The imposter looked to the ninja with a rather sly smile, "Yes. Could you help me with something? I've seemed to cut my leg on my letter opener."

The ninja stepped forth and took the bandage roll from the hands of the imposter. He wasn't really paying attention to what the imposter was doing with his hands but he noticed there wasn't a blood stain or any sign of a wound and soon looked back up to have his face grabbed forcefully. The poor ninja soon found himself dead by a sharp bone being driven through his skull.

The Zetsu clone watched closely as the imposter dragged the corpse into the wash room closet, closing the door behind him. He stripped the ninja of his clothes and changed out of his own and put on the ninja's. The imposter shut the closet door and regained the bandages which were slightly bloodied from the recent murder he'd just committed. The imposter with a smile stepped to the bathroom mirror and stared at himself. What happened next made Zetsu's interest pique. The imposter's facial features _shifted _to match the dead ninja's and so did the hair color. It didn't stop there. His entire body altered to fit the physique of the dead ninja. This wasn't a simple transformation jutsu this appeared to actually be a physical alterance. It seemed to fit the imposter perfectly since he could use his own bone structure as a weapon, so why not his flesh?

The imposter or rather a very unique master of disguise smiled to himself at his new appearance in the mirror. He glanced to the closed closet doors with his smile never faltering, "Thank you for your help." he said. Zetsu could've sworn he was watching a movie character instead of a very talented master of disguise and assassin. The imposter turned back to the mirror and turned on the water before replacing the bandage roll inside the jonin flak jacket. He whistled a cheerful tune while he washed the blood from the palm of his hand and rinsed out the sink.

The imposter fixed the ninja headband on his head before leaving the wash room. Zetsu thought to himself about the whereabouts of the real Daimyo were but he figured his questions would soon be answered. He followed this assassin outside as he passed off as a guard to the others. Soon they were in the heart of the forest without the assassin arising any suspicion.

By now Zetsu had reminised with one of his other clones and instructed it to get black Zetsu while he followed the assassin. The Akatsuki spy soon realized he was closing in on a small trading village. The imposter seemed to go into covert mode again and ducked behind a small shed of one of the village resident's house. The imposter looked around cautiously being sure there wasn't anyone around. However there was but she couldn't see who. Zetsu's May Fly was just that good.

The imposter smirked figuring himself scott free. His facial features and hair color _shifted _into that of a crimson haired female. If Zetsu wasn't integrated within the ground he would've expressed his curiosity and confusion on his face clearly. The rest of the imposter's body soon changed as well becoming that of a female instead of a man which made Zetsu wonder about the imposter's actual gender let alone their real face. Maybe this was it? Or maybe it was another rather convincing disguise.

Her skin color changed as well. Turning from a pale white to a chocolate complexion which in Zetsu's taste was delicious looking. Her crimson hair grew slightly longer and draped over the edges of her rather young and attractive looking face. Was she still in her teens? If so she just might be the Akatsuki's youngest main member to date unless she was Deidara's age. Assuming she does cooperate and doesn't put Pain in the position to where killing her was the only way to deal with her refusal.

Oh Zetsu hoped that didn't happen she was far too interesting to just kill right off the bat but then again he thought of what she, if whoever stood there was a she, may taste like. Dark meat...Then the memory of the imposter taking the bandages came to mind. Yes...What was that for? He soon found out as the now female stripped from the jonin's clothes. Her naked form matched the deliciousness of her face. She was a little petite Zetsu might add but still good enough to eat. The female pulled out the bandage roll and started to wrap her body in all her private places forming a makeshift and slightly bloody tube top and skirt. The spy understood the purpose. You can't leave any trace that you impersonated someone if you plan on walking away without anybody finding a lead back to you. In Zetsu's case this didn't matter since he had an immunity if someone tried to seek him out.

Soon the female left taking the recently deceased ninja's clothes into a dumpster and tossing them in. Zetsu continued to follow. The crimson haired female walked to the back door of a local sake bar and knocked onto the door. She uttered some phrase that Zetsu couldn't quite make nor did he care to. The door opened and the female stepped in. White Zetsu unintegrated himself from the ground and pressed into the wall becoming part of it since it was after all, wood. The female took a seat around a round card table and crossed her legs while a group of ninja with Hoshigakure headbands with the star symbol crossed out shifted and retrieved a black leather bag and laid it upon the table. The room was dark and smokey on the account of one of the ninja, a female with blue hair, puffing away at a cigarette. Zetsu didn't particularly enjoy the taste of smokers. Especially chain smokers. He could tell she was one since the female nin went from one cigarette to another after she finished the one she was smoking in about a total of seven puffs without hacking or coughing.

The ninja who gave the bag to the crimson haired female also laid upon the top of the bag a Hoshigakure headband that, like their own, had the star scratched out.

"You've lived in Hoshi and you've done our dirty work...Yet we still don't know your name." the ninja who handed the bag over stated. The crimson haired female smiled with a scoff, "And you never will." she replied standing up and taking the bag. The others grew uneasy and already had their hands on their kunai pouches.

The half naked female took the head band and shoved it into the bag before giving them a smirk and a sarcastic salute, "Gentlemen. I'll be off now." she said turning away and pushing through the door before any of them could retaliate. The smoking blue haired woman threw down her cigarette and went to the door with kunai in hand.

"You can't just leave! You know too much!" she shouted at the redhead. Without hesitation she threw the kunai at the redhead. The assassin raised her arm and let the kunai pierce through her arm missing the two bones in her forearm. Her teeth clenched and formed a grin. The redhead then turned her arm and pulled the kunai out with her blood staining it. She brought the pointed blade to her mouth and licked off the crimson fluid off it.

"Yes I can." she said before turning away and walking away, "I'd have killed you if I was playing two sides." she stated before she vanished from the blue haired female's sight. Zetsu however didn't lose sight of her and his shadowing continued.

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This chapter was slightly more difficult to muster. I hope you enjoyed it.


	3. A Freak With No Name

Fun fact: Shintaro Waita Banking I named after two of the most prominent ero guro mangakas in the world: Shintaro Kago and Waita Uziga.

For the record I don't claim ownership of anything Diamond Head ever wrote, recorded or performed. Lars Ulrich already rode the asses of Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker into the ground for Napster, I don't need him riding my ass for quoting a band he's not even a part of.

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The Akatsuki or at least the other members besides Pain and Zetsu were all off duty for the time being. There was a a large living room area that was furnished with two long black sofas that were arranged in an L formation that were facing a large flatscreen television set. Situated in the middle of the room was a round coffee table. Who new Sasori and Konan made expert interior designers when it came to furniture and placement?

Everyone had to admit it was rather convienent. None of them had to get neck cramps from watching the TV. Deidara however wasn't using the comfortable seating provided since he just liked to stare straight into the TV. The blonde wasn't wearing his cloak at the moment and was dressed in his casual tank top and poofy blue pants with no shoes. He sat on the floor at the coffee table with a bowl of cereal in front of him.

He was watching a channel that focused on business related news. It was early morning and so far him, Kakuzu and Sasori were the only ones awake. Sasori however never slept. Sometimes however he wished he could just to pass by the mundane parts of the night.

The living area was connected to a small kitchen that had a folding table in the center. The table was currently occupied by Kakuzu who had an old calculator that printed off calculations as one put them in and and pulled the lever. Yeah it was old but Kakuzu didn't want to get an electric one since his fingers were already accustomed to the slightly heavy push of the number keys.

Alongside the calculator was the business section of today's paper and a cup of creamed coffee with no sugar.

Kakuzu was currently reading over the print out of the calculator, he too was not wearing his cloak and instead was wearing his black tanktop and a pair of grey sweatpants. Still wore his mask though.

Anyways he'd asked Deidara to watch the business news channel and listen in for a company called "Shintaro Waita Banking". Recently Kakuzu had taken on the business of buying shares and playing the market. He invested it into a private banking fund particularly because they invested into demanding industries and potential money makers. Kakuzu made money when the banking firm collects on their thriving investiments. Kakuzu lost money when the firm made a bad investiment.

Deidara watched the TV without blinking while he shoveled some cereal into his mouth. Suddenly the woman reporting the business news mentioned the banking firm. Deidara raised his hand but still had a mouthful of cereal, "Rickry! Is oh, hmm! (Quickly it's on, hmm)" he spoke over his food.

Kakuzu quickly went beside Deidara and focused. His eerie eyes locked on the screen and became wide as he listened to the news. He started dancing and smacked Deidara on his back causing him to spew out the chewed up cereal.

"Dude, un!" he shouted limiting his voice to prevent waking the others looking back at Kakuzu who was doing an arm pump. Deidara was slightly confused since he didn't have a clue as to how investing worked.

He looked back at the TV while at the same time looking at the mess Kakuzu made him make. Deidara rolled his eyes and went to get the roll of paper towels. While he cleaned up the mess he looked to Kakuzu who was rushing around putting on his shoes and wrapping his cloak around himself.

"What exactly's gotten you so amped, hmm?" Deidara raised a brow as the usually solitary Kakuzu appeared quite overjoyed without containment.

Kakuzu looked to Deidara smiling under his mask, "I just made a vast fortune with a very menial amount of money." he said stopping and regaining his composure, "I'm going off to Amegakure to sell my share and collect my divedend." he finished.

As he started to the entrance he looked to Deidara one last time, "Money never sleeps."

Deidara returned to his cold meal of cereal when Pain walked in from one of the halls.

"Deidara, I need Kakuzu and Hidan. Are they awake yet?"

Deidara turned from his position at the coffee table, "Hn, Kakuzu just left to do some business and Hidan is still asleep." he answered.

"Hmm...Well...Is Sasori available?"

"Pretty sure danna's not busy"

"Excellent, I have a need for both you and Sasori."

Deidara turned from his position with a pouting look, "A mission? But it's our days off!"

Pain raised his hand and closed his eyes, "Don't start complaining, Deidara. It's just a simple interview."

"An interview?"

Pain opened his eyes and straightened his form, "Yes, I've been looking for a new recruit since our main numbers are imbalanced."

"So who's this person we'll be 'interviewing', un?" Deidara raised his eyebrow slyly.

"A potential partner for Zetsu. We don't their name yet but that will be cleared up once we rendevous with Zetsu and the person he's been watching."

Deidara arose from his seated position and went through the hallway to Sasori's room. He knocked on the door repeatedly before the redhaired puppet master opened the the door in a jolt that caught Deidara off guard. His eyes were blank and glassy like usual but his eyebrows were narrowed at the blonde, "What?" he commanded an explaination.

Deidara suddenly felt scramble minded he pointed to the direction he came from, "Well uh...Danna...Leader wants to um...take us on a mission." the stuttered sentence fell from his mouth. Sasori looked at the blonde once more before shutting the door abruptly in his face. Deidara relaxed now that he was out of the agitated view of the scorpion of the red sands.

The door opened abruptly again and Hiruko stepped out in it's hunched form. Sasori controlling Hiruko from the inside, didn't even so much as pass another glance at Deidara. The blonde went to his room and put on his ninja shoes and his cloak. The two were standing in the presence of Pain. The leader passed one of his signature narrow eyed gazes at the two of them before walking off leaving a subtle hint for them to follow. Sasori in Hiruko, looked to Deidara before following the leader. Deidara soon followed suit.

The chocolate skinned teen with crimson hair had vacated Bear Country and was now temporarily residing in Sound Country's marshy forests. Zetsu had long since rejoined with his darker half and dispersed of his white clones which turned into a white sludge and were absorbed into the ground in a matter of hours leaving little trace of his existence in Bear Country. Nobody from any of the other nations dared to step into Sound Country because they would be killed on sight or captured and subjected to experimentation.

Zetsu continued to watch this female, if she indeed was one. She didn't change out of the bandages she had wrapped herself with after disposing of her Konoha nin disguise. She was contented leaning over a fire she'd built for herself with a freshly killed squirrel she'd been roasting over the fire with the kunai that rouge Hoshi nin had thrown into her arm now tied to a stick. Zetsu figured out she was a medical nin to some degree, she was able to heal the gash in her arm by focusing chakra to the affected area. If she becomes part of the Akatsuki then Sasori won't have to dig around the nations and kidnap a medical nin everytime someone got hurt.

Zetsu's thinking was interrupted when he heard a delightful singing voice. It was her's.

"My mother was a witch...She was burned alive...Thankless little bitch...For all the tears I've cried." the chocolate teen sang stopping for a moment to take the roasting squirrel from the fire and taking a bite of the skinned and cooked animal.

"Take her down now...Don't want to see her face...All blistered and burned...Can't hide my disgrace..."

Zetsu soon turned his attention overhead when a large eagle like bird flew over the area. _That's not to subtle, _his white half thought. He knew it was Deidara and quite possibly Pain riding along with him. Zetsu looked back to the girl who only passed a not so worried glance at the unnaturally large bird. Soon she returned to eating.

Deidara's bird landed some distance away to where Zetsu couldn't see. Zetsu just continued to watch the prize while Deidara and possibly Pain reached his location. At least they were discreet upon their approach on foot since he could see it didn't rouse the possible recruit. The spy turned to see not only Pain and Deidara but also Sasori outfitted in his usual Hiruko puppet armor.

Pain stepped forward and gazed at the teen Zetsu was watching. His eyes narrowed showing obvious disdain when he looked back to Zetsu, "Why are you not following the target" he asked in a tone that subtly told he was not pleased and was about to pulverize Zetsu if he didn't give a suitable answer.

"That is the target leader." the black side chimed confidently. Pain raised a brow. Zetsu took this as his cue to explain things. Pain seemed to grasp this fairly easily though in his mind he was still unsure as to who or what he was dealing with but this uncertainty could be comforted by his powers and the fact that anybody he's faced since the fall of the Sannin and Hanzo have died given the intent to kill them. Though sometimes he was a bit too rough and accidentally killed someone when he didn't mean to do so.

Sasori and Deidara just passed glances between each other listening to Zetsu's story. Sasori looked to Deidara in his hunch form to speak when Zetsu was finished, "I must express my uncertainty in this situation, Deidara. I have a feeling that this person could end being like Orochimaru."

Deidara gave a smirk, "A creepy sex deviant, danna?" he chuckled.

"That's cute, boy." he said in Hiruko's gruff voice emphasizing the word 'boy' as an insult to Deidara who seemed to grin it off.

"I mean the fact that if this...'thing' we are dealing with has already played 3 roles on equally different sides of the espionage game...Much like Orochimaru, what's there to make us believe any different that she's not going to be a quadruple agent and betray us as well?"

Deidara's eyes widened and his face turned solemn and serious before it went back to it's joking smirk. Deidara recalled almost every member of the Akatsuki telling him the betrayal of Orochimaru to the organization but since everyone seemed to acknowledge the event and go into detail, his wary was at a relaxed level compared to Sasori.

"Because, danna..." Deidara started before looking to his partner with a psychotic grin, "I don't believe we are stupid enough to make the same mistakes twice.", he finished.

Sasori let out an uncertain sigh at his partner's statement though in his mind he was comforted by it. He'd never admit to it though.

Pain took action. He poofed away in a cloud of smoke and appeared in the open, to the view of the girl. The crimson haired girl seemed to freeze upon his arrival but slowly stood up and stood sideways to the Akatsuki leader in a semi ready position to fight. She noticed the cloak he wore and the headband with the scratched out symbol.

"Who are you?", she said in an unnaturally calm tone.

Pain leveled his ringed eyes on the girl's eyes, which were a blood red color exactly the same as her hair.

"I'm the leader of the criminal organization, the Akatsuki. I am called Pain.", he said in monotone.

"From Amegakure, right?", she questioned recalling hearing about the organization's role in the Third Shinobi World War.

"Yes."

"What's an Amegakure criminal organization want with someone outside it's reach of influence?"

Pain straightened himself, crossed his arms and leaned his head slightly back.

"The Akatsuki is not limited to anyone village. We are everywhere and nobody should think they are safe from us just because of where they reside.", Pain explained narrowing his eyes. He always hated the questions but they had to be answered for anyone to begin to become willing, "I'm interested in making you a member.", he finished.

"To what do I have to gain from joining you?" she asked with some hinted hostile undertone.

"I can tell you that you won't be sleeping in the wilderness every night and you'll receive a steady paycheck for simply being a member."

This seemed to strike a cord with the girl as she remained silent for a few minutes. She looked back into the Rinnegan eyes in the sockets of the man who had them.

"What if I refuse?"

Pain uncrossed his arms and turned his back to the girl, "Then I suppose somebody in my organization could tip off 3 different nations to your real identity and the crimes you've commited."

"Oh really? Like what?" she became hostile once more.

"The assassination of the Hoshikage, and the murder of a Konoha nin. Hoshigakure probably has discovered that the Daimyo is missing and I'm assuming you killed him to take his identity.", Pain tested. He knew that she could just easily disappear with an ability like hers if he actually intended on blackmailing her.

"..." the girl remained silent. How did he know all these things? Had someone been watching her? She grew uneasy from this revelation. Pain sensed her discomfort at his words and turned around to face her once more. It was somewhat of a let down, "Do I have an answer?".

The girl lit up with a grin. If the Akatsuki was willing to keep her out of the rain for her services while paying her she could see no harm except if she wanted to leave.

"I'll disappear if you try to blackmail me but I assume you'd just kill me on the spot if I refuse. I've just one more question for you, Pain.", she said finally using his name, "What is your policy on people who wish to retire?"

"You either die in service or I kill you for insubordination." Pain replied coldly. His disappointment turned around from her realization and awareness of her own ability and the situation given, "However you can be taken off duty for various reasons but you'd still be under our watch."

This statement didn't seem to phase the crimson haired girl, "I will take your offer."

"I'm glad to hear it." Pain said still in monotone, "What is your name?"

The girl lowered her head and stood there with her fists balled. This was an odd display. Perhaps she was angry about her family name or just the name she was given. Pain soon figured out this wasn't the case after she broke another three minutes of silence.

"I don't have a name..." she said not raising her head. Pain raised a brow from a sneaking suspicion he had as to why she didn't have one.

"Just call me Henteko Nikutai."

* * *

Somewhat incomplete. Sorry if it's not as good as the others.


	4. It Just Gets Better

For those of you that reviewed I thank you. You're keeping me slightly sane during the harsh mental process of writing these fics.

* * *

"Firstly before you join I'd like you to display your abilities.", Pain stated not moving from his position, "There's a legitimate reason behind asking you to do such, Odd Body." he finished referring to her as "Odd Body" because that's what her name meant and he found it somewhat suiting but he wasn't quite sure if she deserved such a name. Hopefully however this little test spar would prove him otherwise.

The girl stretched backwards having her modest sized breasts strain against the bandages she was using for clothes in a suggestive way. She was testing Pain to see if he noticed. He did but didn't show any sign of embarrassment nor a slightly interested look at her. Instead he turned away and flagged over Deidara. He started walking toward Deidara as the blonde stepped forth. He stopped beside Deidara their shoulders parallel to each other. Pain flashed a look to him from the corner of his ringed Rinnegan eyes, "Taijutsu.", he said before whispering something else.

The girl finished her little stretch and overheard Pain say "Taijutsu".

"Bad choice." she remarked with a slight smirk. Deidara flashed an overconfident look to the girl. Henteko bent over and touched her toes in another stretch, "Since I'm fighting a girl, I shall rather enjoy this." she spoke looking back up running her pink tongue over her chocolate lips seductively. Deidara gritted his teeth, "I'm not a girl!" he screamed with his deep masculine voice at her before rambunctiously charging at her with a mid air kick with a speed that was rather impressive even to someone like Gai.

The girl smirked and slid under him as he attempted to land a kick to her face. She recovered and wrapped her arm around Deidara's shoulders while reaching in between his legs and grabbing his prized member feeling that he wasn't lying about his gender. She brought her lips close to his ear, "My mistake", she said in a rather seedy seductive voice.

Deidara gritted his teeth again in an angry expression before snapping his legs shut catching her hand and throwing his weight back into her causing her to fall. He reached to her hand and crushed it off his private area before twisting his body weight around and throwing her. Henteko recovered landed on all fours and charged back at Deidara cackling maniacally. Deidara put up a countering stance but soon realized she was simply tackling him. He couldn't really counter it in his stance so he simply took the ram before placing his hands under her form across her stomach before bending backwards and throwing her in a suplex like move.

This time she didn't recover but stood up, her cackle reduced to a chuckle. They eyed each other and circled one another in a boxer's stance. Deidara was still rather angry. Deidara was the first to reengage. He threw a low punch then doubled with a punch aimed to the face. Henteko grabbed both his fists and twisted his arms before pulling him in close to her face, "I'm liking this tango, girly man" she said topping off her insult by making a kissing sound. Deidara just grew angrier and angrier. He twisted his arms free and struck her in the cartilaginous plate slightly below her breasts with a double palm strike. His palm mouths had barred their teeth in response to his emotion and the strike hurt their teeth slightly.

Henteko stumbled back coughing but soon it turned into a giddy maniacal giggle between the wheezing and coughing. She looked to Deidara who stood there with his fists balled and his face a crimson color from his anger. She stumbled and coughed once more. "Nice. Still no blood.", she insulted, "You lack game". This didn't sit with Deidara. Not one bit. He rammed forward but quickly ducked down and swiped his feet at her ankles tripping her. He topped off his attack by swinging both of his legs upwards and then smashed them against her face while she was still falling. Deidara quickly stood up and assessed his attack. Now she was bleeding. Her nose had a messy smear of blood coming from the left nostril.

The fight continued. Henteko stood up and wiped the blood off and looked at it on the meat of her thumb. She glanced to the blonde, her red eyes clashed with his one blue one. She threw her arm backwards in a haymaker. Deidara jumped back but he soon realized the attack wasn't as it seemed. She threw her arm forward and her arm 'stretched' beyond normal human limit gripping Deidara's face and carrying him backwards until the back of his head contacted with the trunk of a tree.

Sasori's eyes widened from the girl's arm stretching to a length of 12 feet before Deidara's head made contact with the tree. What technique was this?

Henteko grinned as she removed her stretched arm's hand from the blonde's face and instead grabbed his throat. The fingers stretched around his throat and literally fused to her hand's thumb putting him in an absolute grip. Her grip tightened on his throat and Henteko slowly began to walk forward her arm returning to it's original length as she walked closer. She stood less then a few inches of Deidara's face. She raised her other hand and jutted her middle finger out as it slowly malformedand curved into a scythe like bone claw.

Deidara's anger turned to a fear as she ran the bladed finger claw across his cheek cutting into his skin and drawing blood, "Which shall it be?", she softly still in a seductive tone. She rested the claw against the curve of his eye socket and poked at his eyelid as it closed in reflex, "I gouge your eye?", she continued rubbing her claw against his cheek once more. Deidara dared not move. If he attempted to get out of her hold he might gouge his own eye out in the process.

She suddenly took her claw away, "Or a forfeit."

Deidara opened his eye once more, "Forfeit, hmm...", he choked from her hold.

"Good boy.", she said relinquishing her fused finger grip on his throat and turned away, her claw receding into a normal middle finger. She turned away and grabbed the leather bag she received from the rebels.

* * *

Kisame and Itachi were lounging in the living area of the main base Deidara, Sasori, Zetsu and the leader himself had left. Kisame was watching TV while Itachi buried himself in the small printed texts of a philosophy based novel.

"So...", Kisame tried breaking the silence obviously growing bored with the same crap that reran in a never ending cycle on TV, "Leader is supposedly looking for a new member. A partner for Zetsu at that. What do you think of this?"

"I'm waiting to see what he manages to scrounge up.", Itachi replied dully not looking up from his novel. Kisame just raises one of his blue eye brows. Konan walked into the living area in a hurried pace. She'd been looking for her partner since he disappeared abruptly without so much as leaving a notice. She also noticed Deidara and Sasori were gone.

"Has anyone seen the leader?", the cyan haired woman asked in a worried tone. Kisame and Itachi looked to her, "No. Haven't seen him since yesterday.", Kisame answered. Konan left the room and continued to root around the base for any hint as to where he may have gone. Not too long Hidan walked in stretching and yawning which wasn't out of the ordinary since he usually woke up in the late afternoon everyday.

"Man I'm really starving.", he said looking around seeing that only Itachi and Kisame were in the room with him, "Yo, where is that fire crotch when you want something to eat?", he said referring to Sasori. Kisame grinned and shook his head, "Don't look at me, he was gone when me and Itachi were up."

"What about the blonde tranny?"

"Again not here.", Itachi cut in. Hidan huffed, "Well shit...", Hidan trailed off going into the semi kitchen and grabbing a bowl and a box of cereal. Kisame raised his head hearing a low rumble and footsteps. The rumble sounded again and into the living area walked Kakuzu who was whistling under his mask. He seemed a bit happier today.

"Where've you been, asshole?", Hidan asked shoveling some cereal into his mouth. Kakuzu's contented eyes went narrow as he looked at Hidan. He didn't answer instead he just went to one of the sofas and sat beside Kisame and took the remote switching it to the news.

"Hundreds of Hoshigakure nin are in panic today as early yesterday during the Daimyo's visit to the small hidden village ended in chaos after the Hoshikage's body was found in his office dead with his eye gouged out. Investigative ninjas soon found out the Bear Daimyo had been killed more than a week before the Hoshikage's assassination and that the Daimyo that visited a day ago was indeed an imposter.", the news reporter started to talk. Kakuzu leaned forward with interest.

"Damn that must've been some master of disguise to pass off as a Daimyo for a week.", he commented.

"Investigative forces are inconclusive in their search for the assailant who disappeared last night from the Daimyo castle.", the reporter continued. Kisame cocked his head and listened to the report before looking to Itachi, "Just a thought but does anyone think that the leader went off to find this assassin? They just seem like a likely candidate to be working along with Zetsu."

"Great another dude.", Hidan scoffed.

"What makes you so sure the assassin is a man?", Kisame questioned.

"Well the assassin did pose as a man.", Kakuzu added. Kisame grunted in agreement, "Good point."

* * *

"Might I ask you what's in the bag?", Pain asked Henteko as Deidara flew them over Wind Country. Sasori was still intently staring down the back of Henteko's neck studying her over. The ride wasn't as awkward as he initially thought since the girl kept mostly to herself and only passed studying glances at the 3 of them.

"Spoils.", was all Henteko said.

"Spoils, un...", Deidara scoffed shaking his head not looking back.

"I have something fitting for you, pretty boy, as soon as you land this bird.", said Henteko seductively.

"I don't look forward to it."

Henteko just rolled her eyes and shook her head. Pain on the other hand was getting more agitated by the two of them. Sasori seemed to notice this but said nothing about it.

"Leader-sama, what of Zetsu? Will he join us back at base?", Sasori spoke up trying to get Pain's attention away from Deidara and Henteko. Pain looked back to him with the agitated look upon his face, "I should suspect so since he's smart enough to know his work is done".

Sasori suspected Zetsu was probably already back at base and he was right.

Zetsu walked through the hidden entrance of the base and dropped into the hallway leading into the living area. Everyone in the room immediately silenced themselves upon his arrival.

Kakuzu looked to Kisame, "You know, swordsman, if you want info on who the candidates are you should ask Zetsu since he's the one who's been scouting around."

Kisame took his advice, "Hey, Zetsu. Have you found someone to be your partner yet?"

Zetsu stopped in his tracks and looked to the shark man. He grinned, "You'd be surprised who we dug up.", his white half said.

"Details man!", Hidan chimed in.

Zetsu only chuckled, "Probing us for information that isn't exactly intended for your ears won't get you far, _flesh bag_.", his white half chuckled.

"Oh come on, flower power!", Hidan whined.

"Yeah, _flower power_.", his darker half also entered the conversation.

"You _do_ realize he's referring to the both of us?", the whiter half fired back rhetorically.

"You as well as I know you want to talk as much about the delicious looking flesh that's about to become our partner.", the darker half returned. Both sides remained silent. The group gathered in the living area, save for Itachi, looked at Zetsu in anticipation. His whiter half smiled, "I think I will constrict your indulgences. Soon you will see the delicious piece this new blood is.", he chuckled.

He turned away but looked back to the group, "I will leave you with a little run down on how capable this person is.", the white half teased

"Do tell", the darker side chimed.

"I will if you'd stop interrupting.", the white said fired, "This person posed as a Daimyo, killed the Hoshikage, killed a Konoha jonin and posed as them in their escape. That is all I will tell you."

Kakuzu looked to Kisame, "So it is the assassin mentioned on TV". Zetsu raised a brow, "TV?", both sides said in unison. Kakuzu pointed to the TV as the reporter repeated the news on the assassination.

"Apparently they also killed the Daimyo and posed as him for a week to get to the Hoshikage.", Kakuzu informed.

Zetsu's eyes fixated on the TV, "Apparently our new blood is more capable than we originally thought.", the dark side stated.

* * *

Deidara landed the massive eagle and let off Pain, Sasori and Henteko. Henteko looked around to see where she was. They were near a Amegakure forest next to a river with a boulder along it's bank. She thought it a joke however Pain was the one who changed her mind about that. He raised his ring to the boulder along the riverside and it slid away revealing a hole.

How intuitive. The boulder entrance was hidden by the trees around it. Pain looked to the blonde and nodded. Deidara sighed and took control of his bird sending it into the depths of the river before performing a hand seal and detonating it. He saw a large a large bubble surface and quickly diminish with the current. Pain and Sasori jumped through the hole that had been hidden under the boulder. Deidara bowed and sarcastically showed a display of chivalry to Henteko who only rolled her eyes before jumping in as well. Deidara jumped in at last and the boulder slid back over the entrance. This place was going to be a complete pit was all she thought of the hideout.

"Cheer up, it was only a small fight.", her voice echoed through the hole.

"You threatened to gouge my eye out, un.", Deidara growled.

"I thought you'd somehow find a way out of it. Apparently I was wrong.", Henteko commented looking at the feminine man through the corner of her eye.

"Will you two quiet down?", Sasori spoke in the gruff voice of Hiruko.

"What's with the hunchback?", Henteko whispered to Deidara. Deidara chuckled, "Oh him? He's not actually a hunchback, that's just armor, un."

"Armor?"

"You'll find out soon enough, un."

The group appeared in the living area. Where everyone's attention soon turned.

"Konan! Leader's back!", a voice called. Kakuzu looked at Henteko, "That's not all who showed either...", he said to himself. Henteko didn't really have time to really look at everyone in the room but she did catch that everyone wore black cloaks with red clouds.

"Whoa, it's a chick!", a silver haired man said before crowding Henteko's personal space. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "Hey babe, how bout you and me go someplace after you're done with ol' piercings here?", he said slyly motioning to Pain.

Pain turned around with a death glare, "Excuse me?", he said putting his annoyance on the line. Henteko tried to look around the silver haired man was huddling to her. Before she knew it the silver haired man flew backwards into the wall dividing the hallway from the living area.

Pain stood there with his hand outwards and palm opened. _What did he just do?_

"Move out of the way, un!", Deidara cried pushing past her into the living area and into another hallway lined with doors Sasori too followed suit without saying a word. The base wasn't a complete cave like she initially thought. Just the entrance. The living area was carpeted and the walls where actually dry walled and painted a cream color.

Henteko's eyes rested on Zetsu and Kisame. She looked Zetsu up and down, taking in his strange plant like appearance however he was facing away from her. Then she looked at Kisame. His blue skin, his protruding cheek bones, the up swept dark blue hair contained by his headband, his beady white eyes, and the gill like markings on his cheeks appealed to her in a way. Perhaps she was in the right place.

Aside from the rather interesting features, he looked handsome but he looked middle aged because of his facial bone structure even though he was actually just a year before turning thirty. He smiled at her showing off his jagged triangular teeth. _Shark like indeed._

Her eyes focused on Kakuzu who gave her an odd look. She couldn't really distinguish his features because of the mask he wore and the headgear.

"I'm Itachi.", she heard a voice say off to her side. She turned and saw a man with lazy red eyes with three tomoe around the iris, stress marks under his eyes and his long jet black hair tied into a short pony tail. She looked down to his hand extended to her and a book tucked under his opposite arm. She reached and took his arm, "Don't have a name but you can call me Henteko."

"Weird...", Itachi stated the meaning of it. He turned and looked around at the other members gathered around.

"That's Zetsu, Kakuzu, and Kisame.", he said pointing them out. Then he pointed to Hidan who was rolling in the dust of the trashed dry wall he crashed into shaking his head trying to get the fog from his head, "That's Hidan."

"Can you tell me how dysfunctional this place is as well?", Henteko smiled coyly.

"Oh this is just a taste.", Itachi said before turning around and walking off. _Bye then..._ Pain was not interested in these introductions. He grew impatient.

"Henteko, if you will", he said placing his hand on her shoulder and leading her off down to where his office was.

* * *

I cannot tell you what kind of hell I went through to write this. So much editing, deletion and rewriting...T_T'

I'm just glad I'm finally done with this chapter so I can move on!

If you ask how I come up with chapters so quickly I simply have a lot of free time and I have streaks when the right things just come together beautifully.


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